Grand Days Are the BEST Days!

If you have been here in this little space on this world wide web for even a second you know that our BEST days are when they are spent with our FAVORITES!

Our grand babies!!

Either here at Twin Oaks, over at Shiloh Valley Farm, or any where in between – we LOVE time with our grand babies!!

I can never get enough of them!


They are growing up fast and just FULL of life, inquisitiveness and JOY!

Our youngest children and our grand babies are growing up like cousins and best friends!


I love this photo and the memory of how NaiNai’s ice pack could make a bonk on the head all better super fast!!


The babies (how much longer can I call them that?) absolutely adore their Aunt and Uncles too.

Watching them together fills my heart to overflowing!!


No better way to fill up our table or our beds!


Whenever they are here at NaiNai’s house and have to leave to go back home, Clyde taps me on my leg and says “NaiNai, NaiNai, NaiNai! I come back, OK?”

You better believe it’s OK, sweet Clyde Strength!!

Make sure you bring your brother and sisters, OK?

I LOVE YOU MY GRAND BABIES SO VERY MUCH!!

A Doctor’s Appointment

A week ago Blake and I took Eliza to see the eye doctor.

Eliza had been complaining about her right eye, telling me it felt “crusty” inside of it and she was constantly rubbing it.

I looked carefully in her eye, pulling her lower eye lid down and her upper eye lid up to take a good look around.

I was surprised to see a grey spot on the white of her right eye underneath her eye.

Then I looked in her other eye, and there is a grey spot on the white of her eye above her eye.

Then I googled.

Don’t do that – just saying!

When I called the eye doctor to make an appointment, they asked why I was wanting her to be seen so I told them what I saw in her eyes.

They had us come right over.

Eliza thought an outing with Mom AND Dad was a pretty good deal!!


She insisted on bringing her school work with her in the van.


We saw a resident in the Gundersen Ophthalmology department.

He did not seem too worried about these grey spots, saying that people of Asian descent can be prone to discoloration on the whites of their eyes.

He also said that her eyes might be bothering her due to allergies, and told us of several over-the-counter eye drops we could try.

That was all good news!

I still will wonder about these grey spots just a little bit though, as they can be caused by a connected tissue disorder, which is something Eliza was checked for by a geneticist when she arrived home from China.

For now, we will rest in this resident’s diagnosis and pray and hope it is so!

Eliza did GREAT at her appointment!!


We stopped at the Coop on the way back home and got some treats!

Eliza picked chips and I picked this –


I do have medical journals that I keep for both Tate and Eliza to keep track of all of their appointments and everything that is said at those appointments.

But…I have looked back at posts here on the blog or on Instagram many times to refresh my memory of what happened at certain appointments!

It is hard to keep track of it all!

We have more appointments for our two cherubs coming up this week.

We will be doing their check-ups with neurosurgery and urology different this time because of COVID, but we are hopeful that it will all go well and be enough for now!

We are SO thankful for their health and stability!!

It will be great to check these upcoming appointments off our list just the same!!

A Sweet Delivery

A couple of weeks ago our trio received a package in the mail from their Grandma – just because!

It was the most PERFECT timing and SO appreciated!!


Gonna be honest here – I have wanted magnetic tiles for the kids for awhile now!

They were so excited to receive these new things!

They have had endless hours of fun with them already!

Eliza especially has enjoyed the magnetic tiles!


What a sweet surprise to receive this delivery!

Bless you and thank you Grandma Norma!!

WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH!!

October Recap Part 2

October went by fast, don’t you think?

Even with all of the limits of this crazy world, we kept ourselves busy!

I am so thankful our lives are so full here at home!

Each day starts with breakfast, chores, Bible time, and then school.

How I love when they do their Math while sitting in a little squat!


A snack always helps them think better.

At least that’s what this cutie tells me!


Our school room is my favorite room in our home – but we don’t always do our school work there.


After we finished studying Canada, we headed to South America and started studying Brazil and the rain forests!

I had ordered lots of books from the library for our study, but the library was closed again because of a COVID exposure.

WAH!

Since I use library books as my teaching tool, I had to find another way.

Pinterest worked!

We found all kinds of good stuff there.


It is in the sixties outside as I type this, but we have had some very winter like weather already!

And even our first snow!


It was barely enough to play in, but we got outside anyway!


We love to be outside.

These cuties are studying flying creatures in Science this year, so they spent a lot of time with their bird field guide and binoculars out on the land looking to see who lives here with us!

So cute!


The guys got the pool winterized.

They also got the hens moved into the garage for the winter!

Praise!


This camouflaged one was super diligent in mulching leaves for us.

Good job, Lane!


We also started a new activity in the afternoons once in a while – puzzles!

I am surprised at how much my trio enjoys doing a puzzle.

It is a great way to spend some time together!


And games….how many photos do you think I have of them playing a game?


Eliza loves to do crafty things in her free time!

A girl after my own heart!


You can usually find me running around keeping up with everything and everyone, or spending some time working on my Bible reading and Bible memory.


I am enjoying this book in the early mornings.

My favorite devotional book of all times!


I force myself to rest almost everyday – not because I am tired – but for health!

Sleep and rest is a very important part of healing!


After a rest I love a warm cup of coffee or cocoa with whipped cream, and then some time stretching or working out.


My laundry days are Mondays and Wednesdays.

Everyone here has laundry responsibilities!

One day I found $40 in the dryer – hmmmm.

I posted this photo on Instagram with the hashtag #whattodo and I received SO many messages!

It was hilarious!

Most of the messages told me to keep the money, ha, ha!!


This is what two patient puppies look like as they wait for their puppy pancake.

The kids say I spoil them!

I say that I just love them!


In my defense, those same kiddos wrap Ruby in blankets and lay with her under the school table, just saying!


She’s a cute one though!

And sometimes she eats like she is still in China!


Here is another cute one!

He is my best kitchen helper!

He comes running when he hears me in the kitchen!


Especially when there is good food to snitch!


They are all good helpers.

I am so blessed to be their Mama!!


November is HERE!!

One month closer to our next grand baby’s arrival!

YAY!!

Our calendar is full and we have so much to look forward to!

Stay tuned and Lord willing I will tell you all about it soon!

Happy November everyone!!